Container



June 24, 1930.

G. O HOLBEN CONTAI NER Filed May 7 1928 ATTORN EY Patented June 24, 1930 enonen o. HOLZBEN, or ALLEnrow v, PENNSYLVANIA- CONTAINER Application filed. ,May 7,

My invention relates to'contain'ers for holding such articles as cigarettes and matches, etc. i

An object of the invention is to provide a container'which when opened will dispose the cigarettes or other articles in a position where they may be readily grasped and removed for use. 1

The invention further provides a container or receptacle embodying a resiliently elevated article holder normally held in lowered position by a latched, hinged closure which upon being manually released, is swung to an upright position incident to the elevation of the holder, the arrangement being. such as to retain the closure against rocking movement incident to its opening movement and at the same time limiting the upward movement of the container.

WVith the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind, the invention consists in the novel combination of elements, constructions and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically referred to, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the container in closed or normal position,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same and illustrating the parts in operated or open position, and

Figure 3 1s a horizontal sectlon on llne 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the invention in detail a rec- I tangular container or cabinet 5 having supporting feet 6 on its base and a top 7 hinged at its upper edge, as designated at 8, 1s provided. The container from any desirable material and suitably ornamented, as shown.

To hold cigarettes, matches, etc. a holder or receptacle 9 is snugly received within the container for vertical movement therein. As illustrated in Figure 2, the holder is of less height than the container and is normally urged upwardly by an expansible coil spring 10 interposed between the bottom of the holder and the base of the container. A vertical partition 11 is arranged within the holder adjacent its forward end, while a central par- 5 may be constructed 1928. Serial No. 275,736.

tition 12 extends at rigl'it'angles'from the partition 11 to the rear wallof the holder to afford compartmentslitfor the retention of cigarettes or other articles. 'To retain a box of matches a channel shaped member 14055 extends vertically of the front face of the partition 11 centrally of its ends and terminates in lateral parallelextension's '15 at its I lower end, which extend'to the front wall of the holder. Arecta'nguiar block 16 is at- 0 tached to'the bottom wall ofthe holder with its edges spaced from the lower end'of the channel shaped member and the parallel eX- tensions so that the usual rectangular open ended casing of a safety match boxmay be** slipped between the edges of theblock, channel shaped member and parallel extensions, as shown'in Figure i V For the purpose of automatically raising the closure when it is desired to gainaccess to the contents ofthe'holder' andto depress the latter when the closure is in normal position, an arm 17 projects at right angles from "the under face of the elosurefadj cent its hinged edge and carries a'roller 18. This roller 18 at all times engages the upper edge of the partition 12 and is adapted to traverse the same when'the closure is raised and lowered. Normally the closure is maintained in a horizontal position by means of'a latch element l carried byits free end and engaged by a resilient keeper 20 attached to the front wall of the container adjacent its *upper'edge. v

' The invention also contemplates utilizing "the closure as an ash receiver. For this purpose the upper face of the closure is formed with a rectangular recess for substantially itsentire area. A bul ed M1122 overlies a substantial ar'e'a of the recess and merges into the side and rear edges ofthe top to define a pocl ret' 2 3 into which the contents of the aslrreceiver gravitate'wlieir the closure is swung upwardly. v 1th tl 16"C'OH1ptI"tmI1tS filled with cigarettes, the ends thereof projectabovethe upper edge of the holder, and with the holder in depressed or normal'p'osition the ends of the cigarettes liebelew the upper edge of the container. Y Whenit is desired to gain'aeeess to the contents of the holder, a slight inward manual pressure on the resilient keeper 20 releases the latch element 19. The coil spring being under compression raises the holder and, due to the fact that the roller 18 is in contact with the partition 12, the closure will be thrown rearwardly to a perpendicular position, as illustrated in Figure 2. l/Vith the holder thus elevated the ends of the cigarettes may be readilygraspedand removed. As the closure is swung to closed position the roller, bearing against the partition, will force the holder downwardly against the spring 10 to compress the latter. It will be seen that the roller 18, in addition to depressing the holder and causing the closure to assume a perpendicular position, also serves ,to limit the upward movement of the holder, thus eliminating the necessity of having a spring of a predetermined potentiality. Moreover, the partition 12, in addition to affording the compartments 13, constitutes a track-way for this roller.

What is claimed is g 1. In a container, a casing having a hinged closure, a resiliently raised article holder in the casing, and a roller projecting from the inner face of the closure and contacting with i the holder whereby to depress the latter upon .closing movement of the closure, and means normally holding the closure in closed posi:

tion which upon release, permits the holder to rise and swing the closure to open position.

2. In a container, a casing having a hinged closure, a resiliently raised article holder in the casing, a roller projecting from the inner face of the closure and contacting with the holder whereby to depress the latter upon closing movement of the closure, and means normally holding the closure in closed positlOIl WhlCll upon release, permits the holder to rise and swing the closure to open position, the roller also serving to limit the upward movement of the container.

3. In a device of the character described, a

casing having a hinged closure at its upper end, an article holder in the casing and normally resiliently urged upwardly, a trackway carried by the upper end of the article holder andextending at right angles to the movable on the track-way, and latch means normally retaining the closure in closed position and releasable to permit the holder and closure to rise, the roller being at all times in contact with the track-way and thereby limiting the upward movement of the holder closure at its upper end, a receptacle vertically movable in the casing and resiliently urged upwardly therein, a partition dividing the receptacle into compartments, a roller supported laterally from the inner face of the closure and movable along the upper edge of the partition and always in contact therewith, and cooperating latch means for the casing and free end of the closure adapted to be released to-permit the receptacle to rise and thereby actuate the closure to open position.

Signed at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, this 23rd day of'April, A. D. 1928.

GEORGE O. HOLBEN.

hinged end of the closure, a'roller supported from the inner face of the closure and resting upon the track-way, and manually releasable latch means for holding the closure in closed position which upon release permits the holder and closure to rise.

4. In a device of the character described,

a casing having a hinged closure at its upper end, an article holder in the casing and normally resiliently urged upwardly, a trackway carried by the upper end of the article holder and extending at right angles to the hinged end of the closure, an arm projecting at right angles from the closure adjacent its hmged end, a roller carried thereby and 

